It Works If You Work It –

April 2, 2020 – I caught my breath to see someone so addled, probably still drunk or high, make this disclosure to a crowd of internet strangers who couldn’t, not really, look one another in the eye. In my experience, A.A. is about bodies in space — hugs, pats on backs, a tissue when you need it.

“I just need help,” said the troubled person on my laptop. At that, the small streaming videos of members across the top of the Zoom interface burst into applause. It’s our habit in A.A. to heap praise on anyone courageous enough to make a start.   In the best of times, many A.A. members suffer from what traditionalists call “RIDs,” for ”restlessness, irritability and discontent,” and we’re now confessing to every manner of itch. Some want to drink. Some suddenly despise their roommates. Some are eating Lucky Charms out of the box and wondering whether, with a knack remembered from druggie days, they might snort the marshmallow dust.Of course, the applause was silent, since we were all streaming the meeting and we were all on mute.

@NYTimes